For many, 2020 has been a boozier year than most. It’s why so many people have Dry January on the mind, as we “New Year, New Me” the start of 2021. The holidays, with all their fun, food, and libations, make January the ideal time to lose the booze.
Lifestyle expert and journalist Hilary Sheinbaum explores the life-changing benefits of abstaining from alcohol for one month in her new comprehensive guide “The Dry Challenge,” aimed to help readers tackle Dry January, Sober October, or any other booze-free month.
From how to enlist a “Sober Month Support Squad” to all of the positive side effects of taking a break from the booze — like money saved and health benefits — the book walks you step-by-step through the challenge.
We caught up with Sheinbaum to learn more.
Let’s talk about “The Dry Challenge.” How did you come up with the idea for this book?
Initially, I didn’t intend to write a book about Dry January, Dry Months or giving up alcohol for a period of time. My personal story starts in December 2016, when I went to dinner with one of my guy friends. We were catching up about all things — life, work, dating — and the subject of New Year’s Resolutions came up. I didn’t have one, because I didn’t make them at the time. He brought up this thing called Dry January and told me about a friend who had tried it and raved about it. I changed the subject and forgot about it for the rest of the night.
Truthfully, the concept seemed so foreign to my lifestyle. I was a single 20-something woman living in New York City, going on dates and furthermore: a red carpet reporter and food & beverage journalist who literally wrote about alcoholic drinks when I wasn’t attending after parties with top shelf liquor and fancy wine.
A week later, though, on New Year’s Eve, moments before the ball dropped in Times Square, I (tipsy) texted my friend and made a very off-brand bet. We would both attempt Dry January. The winner would have dinner paid for at any restaurant in New York City. The person who didn’t complete Dry January would take care of the bill. In short: my friend lost. I won, and I realized how much my life — skin, sleep, dating, energy, mood — had changed for the better, without alcohol.
Tell us a little about your process for writing this book:
The book is a how-to guide that walks readers through accomplishing a Dry January — or any other Dry Month. The tips, tricks, and interactive pages are a culmination of everything I learned first-hand as well as answers to the questions I’ve been asked about undertaking dry months over the past four years. The contents are a collection of experiences, research, expert commentary, and more.
Tell us about your background as a writer and journalist:
Over the course of my career, I’ve contributed to dozens of publications including The New York Times, USA Today, Yahoo, Today.com, Travel + Leisure, Marie Claire, and more. I was a red carpet reporter for five years for Life & Style, Us Weekly, and InTouch magazines, interviewing big names like Gloria Steinem, Brad Pitt, Kylie Jenner, Joe Biden, etc. I’ve covered (and cover) everything from beauty, health and wellness, wedding trends, travel, celebrity news, and beyond.
What are some of the life-changing benefits of abstaining from alcohol that are detailed in “The Dry Challenge”?
There are so many! Giving up alcohol for a mere month can have so many positive benefits including clearer skin, better digestion, improved sleep, more energy, and 100% no hangovers — ever! Also, you save so much money that you would have otherwise spent on booze, hangover cures, and drunk-food.
Do you have a favorite substitute for alcohol when completing a dry challenge?
It’s a really exciting time for the N.A. category right now. There are so many beverages on the market that resemble — and in my opinion, many are better than — traditional wine, beer, and spirits. For N.A. cocktails, Lyre’s Nonlacoholic Spirits has a variety of offerings that can assist in preparing all kinds of drinks from Martinis, Espresso Martinis, Old Fashioneds and more. For wines, Grüvi‘s Dry Secco and Rosé are so yummy and an easy swap during celebrations. For beer, Athletic Brewing Company has so many nonalcoholic brews!
The book’s foreword is written by Lo Bosworth. How did that come about?
Lo is someone I really admire in the health and wellness space. She is the CEO of LoveWellness, a women’s personal care and supplement brand. Throughout the years, I’ve had the opportunity to interview her on multiple occasions and we have a very similar approach to personal wellness. I can’t give too much away, but Lo is a Dry January alum and I’m so excited she was willing to share her experience in the foreword.
